The only reason to tell customers Boeing won’t deliver the 777X when they want it is if “you want to see the (A350)-1000 do well,” he said.

Aboulafia took Boeing to task over the company’s unwillingness to invest in new products over the last decade. Airbus, on the other hand, has invested in research and development fairly consistently. Unfortunately for the European jet maker, it invested in the A380, he said.

Aboulafia is speaking at the Pacific Northwest Aerospace Alliance annual conference, which goes through Thursday.

A couple other comments from the analyst:

On Airbus’ A380: “Boy, the A380 seems to have faded into irrelevance.” But Boeing’s 747-8 isn’t doing that well either, he said.

On Boeing’s recent 787 woes: “In the long run, I think they’ll get it right. We’re keeping the faith, despite … what could be a difficult year.”

On the A350: Airbus is “starting to get some traction” in terms of orders.